Plenty to ponder after Leopardstown throws up an enthralling two days

The second edition of the Dublin Racing Festival provided much food for thought. There were notable individual performances from start to finish. We saw significant additions to the narrative of several long-established races, which form the central core of this still-novel event, and a wealth of potential pointers to the future. And it was all crammed into a two-day format, in contrast to former times at Leopardstown when the action unfolded gradually over the course of several weekends in January and February.

As if that were not enough, the meeting was dogged by weather-related issues. Management was bound to come in for criticism following the rash of withdrawals from Sunday's card. However, the track's experienced clerk of the course Lorcan Wyer offered a well-argued defence.

Based on weather forecasts available in the middle of the week, and on a common-sense understanding of the likely implications of watering ground just ahead of freezing conditions, Leopardstown adopted the correct policy in the circumstances. It was unlucky, simple as that.